TACOMA, WA -- For the second time in as many games, the Banana Slugs were outrebounded and the Banana Slugs dropped their second game in a row on Friday to the University of Puget Sound. The Loggers won 53-51. The game was the first of a back-to-back for the Banana Slugs in Washington as they take part in the Pacific Northwest Tournament hosted by Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. 

UC Santa Cruz was coming off their first loss of the season as they lost 52-46 to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps last Saturday in Claremont. The Loggers were coming off a 69-56 win over Concordia University (OR) in Portland last Saturday.

The Loggers would lead wire-to-wire as they scored the first five points of the ballgame. The Loggers would expand their lead to seven, at 9-2, on an Ashley Agcaoili layup with 17:59 left. The Banana Slugs would trim the Loggers' lead to 13-10, with 13:22 left in the half, on a Sara Crane layup. The Loggers would respond with a 9-2 run capped by an Allie Wyszynski jumper with 8:52 to give the Loggers their largest lead of the ballgame at 22-12. The Banana Slugs would respond with a 7-0 run capped by a Tyler Stewart three pointer to make the score 22-19 with 6:01 left. The Loggers would outscore the Banana Slugs 11-6 during the remainder of the half to take a 33-25 lead into the halftime intermission.

In the second half, the Loggers would expand their lead to double digits once again, at 35-25, with 19:42 left on an Emily Sheldon jumper. The Banana Slugs would trim the Loggers' lead to single digits but the Loggers would hold them at arms' length. The closest that the Banana Slugs would get was one, at 50-49, on a Sarah Fitzgerald layup with 2:06 left in the game. The Loggers would add three free throws down the stretch for the 53-51 victory. The loss drops the Banana Slugs to 5-2 on the year.

Geena Giovannetti and Mackey both had a game-high ten points for the Banana Slugs. Katy Ainslie, Amanda Forshay and Wyszynski all had a game-high ten points for the Loggers. Leah Parrish had eight points for the Banana Slugs in the loss. Olivia Roberts and Sheldon both had six points for the Loggers. 

The Banana Slugs shot 36.8% (21-57) from the field, 28.6% (4-14) from the three point line and was 31.2% (5-16) from the free throw line. The Loggers shot 32.2% (19-59) from the field, 23.5% (4-17) from the three point line and 73.3% (11-15) from the foul line. UC Santa Cruz's defense forced twenty Loggers turnovers scoring thirteen points off the turnovers while the Loggers' defense forced seventeen turnovers by UC Santa Cruz scoring thirteen points off the turnovers. University of Puget Sound outrebounded UC Santa Cruz 45-38 but the Banana Slugs had eight more points in the paint (28-20) than did the Loggers. 

The Banana Slugs have little time to lick their wounds as they will play their next game Saturday as they take on Pacific Lutheran University against University of Puget Sound. The game will be the second game of the Slugs' time at the Pacific Northwest Tournament at Pacific Lutheran University. Tipoff is set for 6 pm.